Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-09-02
A Mining Speculation.
BY FLAyEL SCOTT MINES.


Harvey sat on his front piazza, toward
the end of hot summer afternoon, read
ing the newspaper. Now and again a
particularly obnoxious fly would alight
on the bald spot in the centre of his head,
causing the Squire to raise his hand and
to bring it down suddenly, often harder
than necessary, with a subdued exclama-
ton that sounded like "B'gosh." But
for this frequent aggressive movement one
would imagine that he was sleeping. 1t
was nearly time for supper and the Squire
had picked up the paper merely to have
something to hold during the few minutes
that elapsed before the welcome meal
He was not reading, for his thoughts
were busy with the farm, and he was
wondering at what price Farmer Griggs
who was in somewhat straitened circum-
stances, would sell his cornor lot. at is
very convenient to my property" unused
the Squire, "and ought to be able to
make a good bargain with my impe-
eunious neighbor."
The sun sank little lower in the west,
throwing its beams through the branches
of the trees, and one little ray, as golden
as his thoughts, twinkled before the
Squire's eyes. With sound midway be-
tween chuckle and an exclamation of
disgust, Silas Harvey elevated his paper
to shut out the sunbeam, and as he did so
his eyes fell upon the following adver-
tisement
SILVER CRESCENT MINING CoMPANY.-Of
the Silver Crescent Mines, situated on the
banks of the Smith River, Nevada.
Stock paying 25 to 30 per cent. annually to
to the holder.
The chance of life-timel Only few
more shares left.
Write to Secretary s. c. Mining Co., B OK
1856, New York.
"H'm," muttered the Squire, as he re-
read the advertisement. Then the sup
per bell broke in upon his meditations.
He laid down the paper and entered the
house.
After supper, however, the Squire, in
a very agreeable frame of mind, picked
up the paper once more, and with pen
Gil made some calculations with which he
was apparently satisfied, for he nodded
his head in an approving manner. Again
and again he read the seductive adver-
tiscment, his brain busy with figures
Before he retired that night, a check for
two thousand dollars had been made out
to the Secretary of the Silver Crescent
Mining Company.
Silas Harvey was undoubtedly the lead
ing spirit of Northbrook. 1t was not q
very progressive place, in fact it was
rather behind the age, but the towns
people preferred to follow the slow but
sure guidance of the good man, who was
decidedly conservative in many matters,
rather than the aggressive spirits who
proposed gas, patent sewerage and re-
form. Forty-five years before, the Squire
had come to the village poor and unknown
buta "go-a-headitiveness," (which he had
now outgrown, had won him q
place in the esteem of the farmer for
whom he worked and finally he married
the farmers daughter. On the death of
his father-in-law, whose many acres were
added to his small plot of ground, Silas
Harvey arrived at the prosperous period
of his life, from which point he con-
tinued to advance until he held the posi-
ton of first man in the county. But no
one remembered those days now, and the
Squire was not apt to refer to them, ex-
cept to point a moral to the rising genera
ton. AS Justice of the Peace he presided
over the welfare of the village, and no
judge viewed with a sterner eye the
shiftlessness of an individual and woe to
the unhappy mortal who came before him
charged with vagrancy or theft On the
other hand he was lenient to the very I'M
fortunate, and many weak, erring man
or woman received the kindest attention
at his hands, blessing the fate that threw
Them into the path of Silas Harvey.
A nephew of his, partner in -four
ishing banking house, had spent few
weeks of the summer vacation at North
brook, and from him the Squire heard OF
the doings of the stock-market. The
young man gave glowing accounts of the
fortunes made in the "Street." But OF
the many who lose their all this nephew
did not tell. Why should he2 There is
no need to spoil a pleasant little story
by introducing unpleasant features that
might as well remain in the background.
The young man did not dream of plant.
ing in the heart of his interesting listen
er the desire for speculation, and though
the Squire did not offer to invest any
money in that way, he formed his own
opinions on the subject. When his
nephew had returned to the city Silas
Harvey anxiously scanned the papev fo1
an opportunity" "a man to make
money must watch his interests himself
and not leave it to any one else," said
the Squire, and, in the simplicity of his
heart, he resolved to do a little specula.
ton on his own account. He had read
the advertisement-the opportunity hac
come and the Squire straightway EN-
braced thence the check.
A few days later he received an &C
acknowledgement of the check for two thou
sand dollars from New York and the let
ter closed with the fattering informa
ton that at meeting of the directors o.
the s. G. Mining Company, Silas Harvey
ESQ.,, had been elected to fill vacancy i,
the board, and it was hoped that Mr.
Harvey would give the company tn,
privilege of using his name, etc. Thi
pleased the gentleman beyond measur
and he joyfuily accepted the position
AS to his duties as director he was some
"haC III 'ho uaih, loI the letter maze N
mention of them. When he saw his nam
in print heading the list of trustees of tn
Silver Crescent Mining Co., he felt tina
perhaps he had lost somewhat by no
mingling more freely with the outsid
world where he would have had an op
portunity to display his talents to create
advantage. For some reason or other th
s. c. Mining Co. did not pay the ex
pected dividend at the end of the quar-
ter, but it was explained to him by
courteous letter that all the funds ha,
been invested in improvements for til
mine, which would eventually yield three
fold the amount originally put into it. s.
the Squire was thoroughly contented
chuckling over his ability and judgment
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